Various examples of the disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus in which a structure of a fusing device is improved.
An image forming apparatus is a device for forming an image on a printing medium according to input signals, and examples thereof include printers, copiers, facsimiles, and all-in-one devices implemented by a combination thereof.
One type of an image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a photosensitive unit having a photoreceptor therein, a charging unit which is disposed near the photosensitive unit and charges the photoreceptor to a predetermined potential level, a developing unit having a developing roller, and a light scanning unit. The light scanning unit applies light onto the photoreceptor charged to the predetermined potential level by the charging unit to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoreceptor, and the developing unit supplies developers onto the photoreceptor on which the electrostatic latent image is formed to form a visible image.
The visible image formed on the photoreceptor is directly transferred to the printing medium, or passes through an intermediate transfer material and then is transferred to the printing medium, and the visible image transferred on the printing medium is fused on the printing medium while passing through a fusing device.
Generally, a fusing device which is widely used includes a heat source, a heating member having a fusing belt disposed along the circumference thereof, and pressing members pressed against the fusing belt and to form a fusing nip. When a printing medium to which a toner image is transferred is moved between the fusing members and pressing members, the toner image is fused on the printing medium by heat transmitted from the fusing members and pressure applied by the fusing nip.
At this point, a position of a contact point between the heat source and a connector provided for supplying electricity to the heat source is changed because the heat source is deformed by heat at high temperature, and thus the position of the contact point between the heat source and the connector cannot be maintained constantly.